The Irish Dances, among Arnold's last compositions, were completed in 1986 and dedicated to Donald Mitchell. These four dances are rather darker and more astringent than Arnold's earlier sets of English, Scottish and Cornish dances. The Irish Dances are, however, similar to those other sets insofar as Arnold does not quote actual folk songs, but creates his own tunes in the appropriate style.

The brief first dance, featuring a pounding rhythm in a lively Allegro con energico tempo, is perhaps most obviously Irish thematically. There follows a melancholy Commodo for the strings and a slightly brighter but still moodily restrained Piacevole. Raucous fanfares open the final dance, a Vivace with a jig-like feeling. The music remains above middle C until the lower-pitched instruments join in for the dance's concluding outburst and abrupt coda.

© All Music Guide